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Dilg Memocircular 2020730 - Cb081acfa6
Dilg Memocircular 2020730 - Cb081acfa6
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FILM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
SUBJECT: Health and Safetv Protocols for the Conduct of Film and
Ardir"tr,*l Prrd*,i,
COVID-l9 Pandemic
I. BACKGROUND
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging and Infectious Diseases
(IATF-EID) Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the
Philippines states that for areas placed under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine
(MECQ) film, music, and television production may operate at fifty percent (50%)
operational capacity while encouraging work-from-home and other flexible work
arrangement where applicable. Operating establishments are mandated to comply with
minimum public health standards at all times. In the absence of a vaccine or definitive cure
for COVID-l9, these non-pharmaceutical interventions remain the most effective ways to
prevent the spread and mitigate the risks of COVID-19. In view of the foregoing, this Order
reiterates that all departments, sections, units, and individuals involved in the production
shoots of film and audiovisual activities must adhere to the minimum public health standards
prescribed under the Department of Health (DOH) Administrative Order 2020-0015' as may
hereinafter be amended.
II. OBJECTIVE
These guidelines are issued to set minimum health and safety protocols for the f,rlm and
audiovisual sector in the midst of the COVID-I9 pandemic. This Order aims to provide
guidance to all companies and workers for the resumption of production shoots of film and
the audiovisual content and other audiovisual activities following the established minimum
public health standards for COVID-l9 mitigation within various levels of community
quarantine.
This Order prescribes the necessary prevention, detection, and rapid response measures to be
implemented while maintaining business continuity across the film and audiovisual sector.
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DOH Grrid.li."s on the Risk-Based Public Health Standards for COVID-19 Mitigation
III. SCOPE AIID COVERAGE
To protect the health and safety of all personnel required to perform film and
audiovisual duties while COVID-l9 exists in the community, all
Producers/Employers shall ensure that all workplaces comply with the DOH
minimum health standards for COVID-I9 mitigation, through the following
strategies:
Necessary OSH officer/s shall be present in all workplaces and areas, at all times,
during working hours. The number and types of OSH officers shall depend on the
activities and total number of workers that are present in the shoot, as prescribed in
Sections 74 and. 15, Chapter IV of DOLE Department Order No. 198 S. 20182.
Regardless of whether it is a workplace or production site, the qualified OSH
personnel shall conduct an ocular inspection of the area and institute the necessary
control measures. They shall likewise conduct health and safety orientation to all
workers prior to the start of the production.
ProducerslEmployers are discouraged from allowing workers who fall under any of
the following categories to work on set:
1. below twenty-one (21) years old;
2. more than sixty (60) years old;
trenglhening-Comlrliance-with-Occtrpational-Safety-and-Health-Standards-and-Providing-Penalties-for-Violations-Thereof frdf
3. of any age with co-morbidities or pre-existing illness (e.g., hypertension,
diabetes, cancer, or with immunocompromised health status); or
4. with a high-risk pregnancy.
Workers in said workplaces shall take extra precautionary measures, which include
strict hygiene and the rational use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Producers/Employers shall ensure that PPE (e.g. surgical masks, gowns, gloves) is
properly worn by the workers while at work and disposed 6f nssffdingly after use.
In line with Section 5.4 (d) of the FDCP-DOLE Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1
S. 20203 Guidelines Governing The Working Conditions And Occupational Srf"ty
And Health Of Workers In The Audio-visual Production, all workers shall have the
right to refuse work which they reasonably believe is potentially hazardous to their
own health and safety or that of others. All workers must also be oriented on safety
and health hazard identification, risk assessment and conhol (HIRAC) to assess and
identifu occupational hazards in their workplace accurately. Reported unsafe
conditions and actions must be immediately investigated and remedied without delay
by the OSH Officer.
In line with the reportorial requirements of the FDCP-DOLE JMC No. 001 S. 2020,
all scheduled production shoots (whether for film, TV, web, and other audiovisual
content) must be reported to DOLE and FDCP at least seven (7) days before the
production shoot day. Refer to Annex L.l for the Production Registration Fonn.
Every notifiable accident or injury must be submitted to the DOLE Regional Office or
the FDCP within 30 days after the date of the accident. Refer to Annex L.9 for the
Illness, Disease, and Injury Investigation Forrn.
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Executive OrderNo.26, S.2017
httfs://w-officialgazette-gov-ph/domloads/201 7/05may/?0170515-FO-?6-RRD pdf
a. Engineering Controls:
l. Handwashing facilities, hand sanitizers, and dispensers with an
alcohol-based solution must be placed in all entrances, exits, and
areas with high foot traffic.
2. Where possible, redesign office layout to ensure that physical
distancing can be observed. Altematively, physical barriers may
also be placed.
3. Physical markers for physical distancing will also help enforce
physical distancing. Visual cues must be placed to guide
individuals to maintain a distance of at least one (l) meter apart
from each other.
4. An isolation area or space must be designated in any workplace or
venue in all stages of production. This area will be where workers
who are showing signs of contagion will stay while waiting for
transport to healthcare facilities.
5. Waste management protocols, especially for infectious wastes,
must be in place. Trash bins must be made available in strategic
locations in the workplace.
6. Where possible, appropriate ventilation and management of
movement must be implemented as measures for infection
prevention (e.g. separate paths for entry and exit).
b. Administrative Controls:
l. The ProducerslEmployers must craft a compliance plan to achieve
the requirements of this Joint Administrative Order, focusing on
managing work to maintain the health of workers engaging in the
film and audiovisual sector. All involved in the frln and
audiovisual sector must play a part in minimizing the risk of
transmission of COVID- I 9.
2. The ProducerslEmployers must assign the necessary OSH officer/s
required to be present in all workplaces at all times during working
hours.
3. The Producers/Employers shall ensure that the plan and work
protocols are corlmunicated effectively to workers and other
individuals by the OSH Officer before entering the site, or work.
Language, culture, and disability requirements must be taken into
account to ensure information is understandable for all.
4. The Producers/Employers must communicate and engage with
their workers regularly on how to safely carry out work in a
COVID-I9 environment. Planning and implementing COVID-19
protocols must involve workers.
5. The ProducersiEmployers must consider the time it will take to
implement safety controls required for the workplace i.e. allotting
at least two hours to employ safety protocols during the work day.
6. The Producer/Employer must ensure that all hazards have been
reviewed and are appropriately controlled. This includes workers'
understanding of the operations, having fit-for-purpose equipment,
checking the material, and environmental conditions. The plan and
work protocols must take into account the possibility that a site or
location where frkn and audiovisual activity will take place may
have become unsafe during the quarantine period.
7. Provision of alternative strucfures and arrangements for work:
i. Pre-production meetings, technical meetings, and other prep
work must be done online.
ii. Employees who are able to accomplish their duties off-site
must adopt work-from-home arrangements.
iii. For other pre-production meetings and activities that
absolutely cannot be done online, the basic guidelines of
physical distancing and having a minimal number of people
in the workplace must be put in place.
8. The ProducerlEmployer must provide mental and psychosocial
support such as, but not limited to providing mindfulness
activities/sessions,in-house counseling sessions, online counseling,
and support groups to workers. Refer to Annex F for
considerations for occupational mental health and well-being.
9. The Producer/Employer must monitor current national issuances
and local ordinances for disease control and implementing of local
and national regulations before production so that plans or
schedules may be adjusted.
10. Movement of workers, service providers, and contractors between
projects and sites must be plannsd and coordinated properly with
the respective producers/employer to prevent transmission of
COVID-I9.
ll.The Producer/Employer must provide transportation, food, and
other services to workers, as needed.
12. Only workers who have been asynnptomatic within the last 14 days
prior to the date of work resumption are cleared to retum to work,
pursuant to DOH Deparhnent Memorandum No.202G0220.
13. Producers may test workers for COVID-I9 following protocols
expounded in Annex G.
B. On-Site Operations
1. Once all controls are in place, the following on-site operation protocols must
be complied with:
a. Producersl Employers must provide for daily on-site screening to
ensure workers are fit for duty as they enter a site or start a film and
audiovisual-related activity. This shall follow DOH guidelines for
detection of COVID-l9 synrptoms, and identification of risk factors.
2. All workers must be registered as they enter a work area, and such records
must be kept by the person controlling the work area. Work area registers are
to be filled in, where it is practical to do so, at the worksite, part of the
worksite, or where film and audiovisual sector-related work is carried out.
a. Workers must be subject to temperature checks prior to entering the
building/office spaces. Workers who exhibit a temperature >37.5oC or
show flu-like symptoms must not report to work, and must exhibit no
symptoms for a minimum of l4-days before fsing cleared for work.
b. ProducerslEmployers must follow the DOH guidelines in referring and
transporting symptomatic workers or those who will register symptoms
to appropriate facilities. Refer to Annex G.
Producers/Employers must train workers in the proper use, cleaning,
and disposal of PPE designed to minimize COVID-I9 transmission in
line with DOH guidelines.
Workers must be given guidance by the Producer/Employer on how to
decontaminate themselves and their clothing when retuming to their
home living arrangements, and accessing other services where they
may be in contact with others (including public spaces, retailers, and
medical services).
e. Mass gatherings are prohibited, pursuant to DOH AO No. 2020-0015.
i. Only a maximum of fifty (50) individuals shall be allowed to
partake in public activities in low-risk areas, and as
determined by its risk-severity rating.
ii. Only essential workers necessary to perform physical work,
supervise work, or conduct work will be allowed to report
physically at the workplace or shooting site.
iii. All workers who can work from home must work from
home. Visitors to the site will be restricted to the minimum
necessary to deliver work.
Work vehicles must be sanitized after each journey through cleaning of
internal surfaces and external handles and touchpoints. Physical
distancing must be observed when using the vehicle (i.e. reduced
capacity) pursuant to Deparhent of Transportation guidelines.
Producers/Employers must ensure that all concerned departments and
workers are aware of scene and location restrictions as stated in Annex
L
a. Engineering Controls
i. Protocols for transport of suspect CO\IID-I9 cases must be in
place, lngluding provision of ambulance. (Hospitals will report to
suspect cases of COVID-I9 to DOH.)
ii. Routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and objects, and
routine replacement of disinfectant solutions in foot baths must be
observed.
iii. Availability of hand soaps, sanitizers, and other disinfectants in
restrooms and in all entrances and facilities must be ensured.
iv. Footbath mats must be placed in all entrances. Solutions may be
l:10 bleach solution i.e. I litre bleach mixed with 9litres of clean
water.
b. Administrative Controls
i. For each location or workplace, OSH officer/s must be provided by
the Producer/Employer to monitor and manage Occupational
Safety and Health within the work environment including
COVID-l9 site protocols.
ii. All offices and workplaces must implement additional disinfection
measures of common areas, ils recofllmended by the DOH.
lll. Additional sanitary measures must be imFlemented at the work
location, including but not limited to, establishing proper
respiratory hygiene practice and hand washing protocols.
tv. Work areas with the potential for close interaction with members of
the public or other persons not involved in the work must be
arranged to achieve physical distancing-
v. Workplaces must be separated into zones to keep different crews,
staff, and contractors physically separated at all times. Some
locations may need to apply alternative methods for the creation of
work zones to achieve work group separation. Further guidelines
forproduction zone breakdown can be found in Annex J.
vl. Work that requires close personal contact between workers (e.g.
lighting, camera operation, sound grip work, cast, makeup,
wardrobe) must be minimized. Work of this nature must be
planned and managed to establish a safe system of work following
the COVID-I9 Commumty Quarantine conditions for operation.
Risk of COVID-l9 transmission must be included in risk
assessments, and the highest level of control must be considered
and properly implemented.
vll. All vehicles and transportation must be in line with the Department
of Transportation's omnibus public transport protocols and
guidelines.
vlll. All items in the workplace or production site including deliveries
must be carefully managed controlled and regularly sanitized.
lx- Equipment and material deliveries must be planned and managed
to avoid the risk of COMD-I9 transmission.
D. Interzonal Movement
The FDCP in parbrership with DOH and DOLE shall implement the Safe Filming
Program which will take the strategies and guidelines herein provided, and create a
global resource website that outlines the principles of safe production and provide
information about systerns, resources, forms, and all related documents and issuances
to ensure working safely in Philippines for both local and international film
productions. It shall also be a platform for an active collaboration with international
filrn commissions and stakeholders to share best practices and updates especially
with the constant assessment and management and risks of infection transmission.
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2. Provide technical assistance in developing the necessary health standards,
protocols, and guidelines in the workplace during the COVID-l9 Pandemic;
and
3. Coordinate the same to FDCP for the Safe Filming Program.
E. Film and Audiovisual Production Companies and all other concerned shall:
1. Comply with the provisions of this Order and other relevant issuances in
ensuring the health and safety of all individuals involved in film and
audio-visual productions ;
2. Establish the necessary controls (engineering, administrative and PPE) and
referral mechanisms for COVID-I9 mitigation in production shoots;
3. Ensure all individuals involved in production shoots adhere to the guidelines
specified in this Order;
4. Report to FDCP and DOLE on their scheduled location shoots, in compliance
with DOLE-FDCP JMC;
5. Submit other reportorial requirements of this Order or iN may be required by
FDCP, DOLE orDOH; and
6. Keep a record of all contacts of relevant govenrment offices and health
facilities for coordination and assistance in observance of the guidelines of
this Order. Refer to Annex M.
x. PENALTIES
SEPARABILITY CLAUSE
Should any provision of this Order or any part thereof be declared invalid, the other
provisions, insofar as they are separable from the invalid ones, shall remain in full
force and effect.
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XII. EFFECTIVITY
H.
Secretary lV
Depa rtment of Labor and Etnloyment
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